Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

New from Ohio, lots of questions!

My son will be 5 in June. Because I live with my mother right now, he will probably go to kindergarten at school this year. My mother insists that he needs school for socialization and blah blah. Right now, moving out isn't a choice and I hear K isn't super structured or anything so I'm okay with this so she'll be quiet.

In general, since my son was born, I haven't 'taught' him much. I'm very laissez-faire and he's a self-led learner. Yes, he watches t.v. and has a Nook tablet, but he's a great learner and has an awesome imagination. I personally believe that Kindergarten will bore the snot out of him. He recognizes the whole alphabet on sight (we're still working on reading them in words), can count pretty high, and IMO asks pretty intelligent questions. In some areas I think he's probably a little behind - he's not good at writing yet, for example.

My goal? To be out of here (as in, being independent) by next May. I am an author and once I'm making a steady amount of income, I plan to travel the world and write. I want to homeschool/unschool him. I believe he will learn so much more from us traveling the world and seeing places than sitting in a classroom.

Unfortunately I know that Ohio has requirements and I'm wondering if it's going to put a damper in my plans, and what I should do about it. I don't plan to stay around here, or even come back here if I can help it. How does one give the school "curriculum you plan to use" if you unschool? And if you don't want to teach from books, how can you tell the school what they will learn and how? The main thing I worry over is that and the testing requirements. I have considered 'moving' before leaving the country into a state w/o such laws, but wouldn't really have an address to use anywhere else, lol. If I'm not in the country, does any of this even matter?

If you need any more info, please just let me know. I've tried to include everything but might've missed something, and thanks so much for your help in advance!

I would NOT let my mother force me to put my son in K-5 and here is why. In our very good public school, every parent of a male child was told in my son's K-5 to hold their sons back and medicate them.

For my girl in K-5 a boy held back touched her inappropriately and threatened her with other violence. When she told the teacher attacked my child as naive at five years old. The other child was merely "rambunctious" but from a "good family" so he couldn't have done any such thing. The teacher, principal and counslor refused to move either child to another class. Even when other girls told, they continued to cite the good family and support the held back child. The next year they medicated him. I'm waiting to see his name in the news.

This lead me to the conclusion that the worst teachers are given the easiest class, K-5.

And btw, someone I know going into the teacher profession told me that at this same school now, the K-5 class is doing place value, multiplication and division in K-5!?! No way is that good for those kids to push them to accelerate to that point.

But that's just our school and things may be different at yours.

At best when you do homeschool he will have the likely negative, regimented, experience of public school to make him appreciate homeschooling.

No matter what anyone says I wouldn't medicate my son and I'd definitely pull him out if such a thing was suggested. I have every intention of taking him out if he has any problems anyway. She isn't forcing me, it will just be easier while I'm still living here because she's a gigantic pain in the ass. I am hoping to leave MUCH sooner than a year though.

I mostly just want to make sure when I finally DO travel that I don't break any rules. :) Thanks for the warning though! I already know I'll be the schools worst nightmare anyway, Lol.

If you feel that home school would be best for him....go with your instincts. We all have to learn to lovingly stand up to our moms.

When my daughter began homeschooling, I was very skeptical...you know: I had many misconceived ideas. But I kept my mouth shut, because she was the mom, not me. Well she invited me to a home school convention, and I was sold. I had not idea until then.

My daughter involved me in their education, and I loved it. I ended up becoming so involved that, I became a home school workshop leader, and with the encouragement and help of other home school moms, my daughter and I developed some game style curriculum. So just educate your mom, and if she is willing, involve her. Your child could benefit from it immensely.

In Ohio, the law states that you have to give a outline for materials and for curriculum but they don't get to approve it. You just have to provide something. I know people who write, "I'm going to teach my children whatever I think they should learn, using whatever materials I think I will need."

Also, we have a testing OR portfolio requirement. There is a big difference between the two and it's easy to find an assessor that is unschooler friendly.

There's a large unschooler group in Ohio you might want to look up.

Lastly, remember that while you have big plans, you need a Plan B. 8) As I single parent (I assume from your post) and with a job that is very unreliable, I suggest having a bit more plan as far as school work. It may come to pass that your kid will have to be put in school at some point, so you at least want them in the ballpark of where they need to be with Math and Reading.

Thanks. I actually told her that I was going to do it the other night and she is mostly about how he needs "Socialization" and she thinks I don't really provide much in that area. Which, I don't, but I will. My kid, however, is VERY social and doesn't really need assistance or anything. She's just a pain ;) So hopefully she'll just see he's doing well and leave it at that.

Quoting romacox:

If you feel that home school would be best for him....go with your instincts. We all have to learn to lovingly stand up to our moms.

When my daughter began homeschooling, I was very skeptical...you know: I had many misconceived ideas. But I kept my mouth shut, because she was the mom, not me. Well she invited me to a home school convention, and I was sold. I had not idea until then.

My daughter involved me in their education, and I loved it. I ended up becoming so involved that, I became a home school workshop leader, and with the encouragement and help of other home school moms, my daughter and I developed some game style curriculum. So just educate your mom, and if she is willing, involve her. Your child could benefit from it immensely.

What do you mean about the testing or portfolio requirement? I know they have testing in 3rd grade, and higher grades, but until then do they? I know they have a kindergarten readiness they are doing, but that's not required, is it? And if I'm not in the country, I'm guessing the "portfolio" is what I'd end up doing? I may have to end up 'moving' to a different state! ;)

As for work, well I am a single parent, but I've been out of work for 5 years. I used to do retail and fast food, but can no longer do so thanks to an injury that makes it nearly impossible to stand -- I can manage 30 minutes before my leg goes numb. I am also autistic (Aspergers) with a couple other issues.

Disability refused to accept me, even though I can't even sit for long without needing to get up or stand for long without needing to sit down, because as they say... "I can use my hands"...so writing it is. I don't really have any other options, so I have to make my chosen career reliable, LOL. And I do fairly well even though I work 18 hours a day. It's all uphill from here.

However! I know what you mean :) I don't want you think I'm dismissing your suggestion for a back up plan, but let's just say, becoming an author was my last plan. I only have a high school diploma and am physically unable to do much. This has become the way to support myself and be independent! :) I also research everything a LOT, but I like to get experience from other people so I don't mess up!

Quoting mem82:

I'm in Ohio and it is actually fairly unschooler friendly.

In Ohio, the law states that you have to give a outline for materials and for curriculum but they don't get to approve it. You just have to provide something. I know people who write, "I'm going to teach my children whatever I think they should learn, using whatever materials I think I will need."

Also, we have a testing OR portfolio requirement. There is a big difference between the two and it's easy to find an assessor that is unschooler friendly.

There's a large unschooler group in Ohio you might want to look up.

Lastly, remember that while you have big plans, you need a Plan B. 8) As I single parent (I assume from your post) and with a job that is very unreliable, I suggest having a bit more plan as far as school work. It may come to pass that your kid will have to be put in school at some point, so you at least want them in the ballpark of where they need to be with Math and Reading.

Thanks! :) I will definitely NOT report him before I'm required! As I said in reply to her, I may very well need to move to a friendly state before leaving so I can avoid any hassles. I do intend to eventually settle in another country but it's getting to that point first!

Quoting tiredmomfor2: I agree with what Nikki has to say...but I will also add..you do not have to report him to the school until next fall when he is six. ;)

I told my husband that if we ever move out of state it has to be an easier state to homeschool in. Ohio is not that bad as a whole. But a non notify state would be even nicer. ;)

Quoting No_Average_Bear:

Thanks! :) I will definitely NOT report him before I'm required! As I said in reply to her, I may very well need to move to a friendly state before leaving so I can avoid any hassles. I do intend to eventually settle in another country but it's getting to that point first!

Quoting tiredmomfor2: I agree with what Nikki has to say...but I will also add..you do not have to report him to the school until next fall when he is six. ;)

Exactly :) I got a headache just looking at all the stuff they want here, along with the whole common core thing... I already know my son would be bored in kindergarten! At this point I'm setting up to go stay with a friend in England for the 6 months time allowed there, which will allow me to save up even more, but I can't do that for about 7 months. I just don't want to be in non-compliance!

Quoting tiredmomfor2: I told my husband that if we ever move out of state it has to be an easier state to homeschool in. Ohio is not that bad as a whole. But a non notify state would be even nicer. ;)

Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.